Egg count indicating means



April 10, 1956 J. A. LYNCH ,7

EGG COUNT INDICATING MEANS Filed Dec. 6, 1954 I N V EN TOR. ./4PMOA 44w: [ma

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irroevir' United States Patent EGG COUNT INDICATING MEANS Jarmon AlvisLynch, San Dimas, Calif.

Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,971

3 Claims. (Cl. 116-114) The present invention relates to countindicating means for battery type lay cages, in which a hen or hens areconfined individually or in small groups so that a record of the numberof eggs laid during a given period can be obtained. At present thepractice in keeping records of the laying of each hen is to markindividual record cards as the eggs are collected each day, and theserecord cards are generally kept in a small metal bracket attached to thecage.

In accordance with my invention, the record card and the holdingbrackets are eliminated and a count indicator is attached to or made anintegral part of the cage, and this indicating means is provided with aseries of indicating stations for a movable indicator. By moving theindicator from station to station the count of eggs can be indicatedover a given period. The arrangement is pre' ferably such that as an eggrolls down into the egg tray, which communicates with the bottom of thecage, it is positioned adjacent the counting means so that the countindicator can be moved to a new station at the same time that an egg ispicked up from the tray.

The above and other objects of the invention are attained as describedin the accompanying specification taken in connection with the drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a laying cage with the countingmeans of the instant invention forming a part of the egg tray.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of a portion of the eggtray and the counting means.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of one of the egg trays.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 2 showing thecounting means detachably associated with an egg tray.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 there is shown a conventional form oflay cage in which a chicken is shown schematically. The cake 10 isfabricated with side walls of wires 11, and a sloping bottom wall ofwires 12, and the wires 12 are projected forwardly at 12a from beneaththe cage 10 and bent to form an egg tray, the side walls 'ice of the eggtray being formed by side wires 13 positioned in elevated relation withrespect to the extensions 12a which form the bottom of the tray. The twoside wires 13 are preferably integrally connected to a helical coil 14forming a resilient front wall or limit stop for the eggs in the eggtray. The convolutions of the coil 14 are preferably of such a shapethat a space is provided between adjacent convolutions to receive acount indicator 16, which in the present instance is shown as a simplewasher.

As indicated by its dotted line positions 16a and 1612, the indicator 16can be lifted and twisted slightly to fall into the next adjacentconvolution of the helical coil 14. By starting the indicator 16 at oneend of the coil 14 for a given period, it can be progressed oneconvolution each time an egg is picked up and thus at any given timeprovides a direct indication of the number of eggs laid by a hen for agiven period.

Referring to Figure 4, a helical coil 17, which is generally similar tothe coil 14 previously described, is shown as an attachment, and isprovided with hooked ends 17a which may be engaged with bent portions13a of the side Wires 13. In this way the counting means can be easilyapplied to any existing cage.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be apparent that the invention is capable ofmodification and variation from the forms shown, so that the scopethereof should be limited only by the scope of the claims appendedhereto.

I claim:

1. A count indicating device for a chicken lay cage for indicating thenumber of eggs laid during a given period by one or more chickens in thecage, said cage having an inclined bottom leading to an egg receivingtray projecting outwardly from the cage, said counting device comprisinga helical coil extending across the outer edge of said tray to form aresilient stop for eggs, and an indicator engaged with said coil andmovable from convolution to convolution thereof in making a count.

2. A count indicating device for a chicken lay cage as set forth inclaim 1 further characterized in that said indicator comprises a washer.

3. A count indicating device for a chicken lay cage as set forth inclaim 2 further characterized in that said washer has a width from itsinner diameter to its outer diameter substantially equal to the diameterof the convolutions of said helical coil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,206,602 Scott Nov. 28, 1916 2,179,180 Frazier Nov. 7, 1939 2,305,708Jacobsen Dec. 22, 1942 2,596,688 Hinsen May 13, 1952 2,696,349 BaumstarkDec. 7, 1954

